Charity Commission redesign guidance on recruiting charity trustees

The guidance redesign comes after the regulator’s research, with think tank and social sector research organisation PBE revealed just 6% of trustees applied for their role via an advert. The report published indicated that more than half of charities relied on personal contacts to recruit new trustees.

From the research, one in three trustees (29%) are asked to join their board by the chair and one in four are asked by another board member. Recruiting within known circles can contribute to identifying good candidates but limits the field, and difficulties can arise when boards have several personal connections.

The guidance highlights how having a group of trustees who have the right mix of technical skills, knowledge of the sector the charity works in, community connections and first-hand experiences can create well-rounded boards and promote strong governance at charities.

The refreshed guidance focuses on practical steps charities can take to connect with a broader range of candidates, and to identify and remove barriers that may put people off applying for the role. The guidance also suggests considering a skills audit to test what the charity needs from its trustees. It also signposts a range of free resources to help charities reach as many people as possible but is clear that charities can also pay for trustee recruitment services.

The full guidance is available here and the full report is here. PBE are providing a webinar on how to make your board more inclusive and effective, to find out more and book a free place go to: PBE | Who’s on board? Closing the diversity gap in charity leadership  | PBE

Voluntary Action Leeds